Insertion
by fireskull
Summary: This story follows Alex Edwards and his impromptu squad as they resist a Covenant invasion, and then attempt to carry out their original mission. Will they succeed?
1. Chapter 1

_Chapter 1_

Alex looked around the briefing hall. It wasn't much of a hall really, he thought it looked more like a room, but the sign above the door said hall so, he thought hall. He had been in the marines for a couple years now, but he had never done more than sit on some safe cozy outpost. Why? He sighed. Well because his COs were afraid that of anything happened to him, his parents would bury them so low they would never get out of the dirt. See, his parents were rather famous in the military. His dad was fleet admiral John Edwards of the navy, while his mom was general Jess Edwards of the marines. Basically this meant he was bored. He'd been looking for something serious for a while now. He had begged his dad, and he finally sent him here, to an outer colony world.  
Well he could hardly complain that it was safe and cozy, it was on the edge of known space and therefore, rather dangerous. Collosus IV was along the edge of UNSC space. It wasn't too small with a population of 3 million, but it was still smaller than he was used to. The population was split almost evenly between 3 cities, Oceanus, Hyperion, and Mintriz. When he was being shuttled down to the planet a very helpful ensign had filled him in on where the names came from. He found out the first two were old Greek Titans, and the other 1 was from some native religion to the planet. All of the cities were on the planet's only continent, and Oceanus was the only coastal city. Hyperion was the capitol, and that is where he had been shuttled to. He was immediately sent to the UNSC's local garrison, and brought to this briefing room.  
"Hey!" someone called to him, interrupting his thoughts. He looked over his shoulder to see a kid about his age, twenty-two, come over. He had dark brown hair and very defined hazel eyes. Alex thought that was interesting, their hair color was about the same, but Alex's eyes were a rather light brown. Their heights were similar too, Alex was around 5' 8' and the other kid looked maybe an inch or two shorter.  
"You know what we're here for?" When Alex shook his head to that the boy rolled his eyes and stuck out his hand.  
"Well I don't either. My name's Sean by the way, Sean Barret." Alex shook his hand. "My name's Alex, nice to meet you." Sean paused for a second, wondering why the name sounded familiar, and he looked like he almost got it when the door opened again.  
Alex thought the guy that stepped through looked like a bodybuilder on steroids, he had regulation-cut black hair and he was wearing black sunglasses. He had a typical marine training uniform on and it looked as though he was quite used to it. The man glanced at them then went and sat to their right and a little down the hall.  
As Sean made some comment under his breath about him Alex realized something, Sean's hair was long! Long as in a bit curly and definitely over military limit. He was about to ask him about it when the door opened again. He didn't even bother to look back at whoever it was this time until Sean whistled, it wasn't the whistle that bothered Alex it was the way he did it, wait it couldn't be. He turned around and sure enough, there was a girl standing in the doorway.  
She had interesting reddish brown hair tied up in a ponytail. She was wearing regulation field sniper outfit and the look she gave Sean when he whistled would've sent a lion running. He even jerked back a bit in his seat. She went and sat on the left back side of them, putting Alex and Sean right between her and the muscleman.  
Sean leaned down and whispered to him "Well talk about a cold reception jeaz, what's with these guys?"  
Alex just nodded to that, he was still thinking about Sean's hair. Alex was about to comment on it, when the door opened behind the podium. The man that stepped through immediately reminded Alex of the ONI members that talked to dad occasionally back home.  
Slick black hair, taylor made suit and a certain something else about him. He stepped up to the podium in the front and said

"Welcome everyone. I'm glad you could be here with your busy schedules."

Sean snorted at that. Alex was about to ask why, but the man continued.

"You are probably wondering why you are here."

Sean interrupted him jumping up out of his seat. "You bet I am! You guys dragged me out of my house back on Earth, and then took me here! To an outer colony no less!" He said the last with scorn, like it was something vulgar. "I sure as **** want to know why!"

The man sighed, "Yes I know Sean, but please listen for now." Sean sat down, obviously not satisfied.  
"Right well, let's continue. You have all been brought here for a reason, maybe because you're the best at what you do, he glanced at Sean, who reddened a bit.  
"Or because you were highly recommended by your superiors." He glanced at the girl, who in turn simply looked back at him.  
He was about to continue when the man to their right interrupted him, speaking for the first time. "That still doesn't explain why we are on the fringe of civilization sir." He said it respectfully, but his voice wasn't what Alex expected. He'd expected something deep and intimidating, but it was more, well normal. He could even picture him cracking a joke.  
"I'm getting to that." the man said impatiently, "Listen. As I said you are all here for a reason, and as you all probably know for various different reasons." Sean reddened again "An alien race called 'The Covenant' has destroyed Harvest, as well as the warships we sent to investigate it when contact failed. They have also stated that they intend to wipe out us, as in, the human race because they believe it is 'The will of the gods'."  
Alex nodded, he had heard from his father already. The girl and the guy with them also nodded, Sean just sat still looking at the man.  
"Your squad's job will be, he cleared his throat, to infiltrate a covenant base, gather information about this 'Covenant' and bring it back home to UNSC hands."


	2. Chapter 2

_Chapter 2_

Alex just sat there a moment in shock. He couldn't believe what he was hearing, they had to gather information on a genocidal race with superior technology? There were only 4 of them! He looked around to see everyone else's reactions. Sean looked just as shocked as Alex, staring openmouthed at the man who had announced it. The muscleman didn't have such an obvious reaction, but he looked surprised as well. The women however just stayed a blank slate, no emotion at all showing on her red-framed face.  
The man let that sink in, and then continued "To do this, you will be outfitted by ONI with special weapons and vehicles, as well as an insertion craft." He grimaced slightly, "The make and whereabouts of which, has not been disclosed to me."  
Not ONI then, as Alex had thought. Maybe from the local garrison? But that didn't seem to fit him either, he'd have to find out about that later.  
"Tomorrow you will be introduced to your operational supervisor for this mission, as well as given a more detailed" He grimaced again "briefing on your mission. Now, do you have any questions?"  
Sean just sat there for a second then jumped out of his seat, and started yelling at the suited man. "Yes I have a question, you guys dragged me out of my house back at Earth, knocked me out, crio freezed me, and the next thing I know I'm on a planet that doesn't even deserve to be called a colony, and I want to know why!"  
"You know very well why Sean, very well indeed. If you want to know specifically why you were brought here, then I suggest you talk to the supervisor you'll be meeting tomorrow. They haven't told me anything." He looked like he regretted saying that, and gave them the time and place of tomorrow's meeting, quickly leaving afterward.  
Sean was still standing up, having a look on his face that Alex could only say looked, thoughtful. Alex got up, and asked Sean if it was true what he had said about being taken from his house.  
"Yes." Sean replied "They knocked down my door, scaring my dog half to death, then they hit me with something, and I blacked out."  
"Well that's odd, and they didn't say anything to you on the trip here?"  
"Nope. Although I was only awake for a few minutes, between when I woke up, and when they put me to sleep in crio."  
"Do you have any idea why they would do that to you?"  
He paused a moment, then said that he couldn't think of one.  
Alex left it at that, not prying any further, as he seemed to be getting uncomfortable.  
"Well we should probably get going." Sean said "Do you know where we're supposed to sleep? And what happened to the gorilla and red?"  
"No I don't actually, and I'm not sure where they went. They must have left right when the man did."  
They left the hall, where a man was waiting for them as they stepped out.  
"Right this way please." He said "We have your bunks set up for you." He led them down the hallway, crossed through two more buildings, and finally arrived at a room. It consisted of two bunks, and a desk. "We're having your things brought to you. You should get them soon."  
He left, and they prepared to go to sleep. A bit uncomfortable at not taking a shower, as had become a daily routine before bed back at the outpost, Alex took a little longer than usual to fall asleep, when he did however, he fell asleep thinking about why Sean's hair was so long. It was because he was a civilian. His thought was not that though, it was wondering why a civilian was there, and why he had been dragged there from Earth.


End file.
